DIVERTING FROM GOD’S DIRECTIONS.

There are repercussions for not following the directions God gives you.

Yes, we serve a God of abundant grace and mercy. But, our actions still breed consequences. Our free will affects the call and mission that God has put upon our lives and asked us to fulfill.

Let me give you an example.

At 20 years old, I made a decision. I was fresh out of college, (graduated in 2.5 years) bright eyed and stubborn, and thought I had it all figured out.

I relied on God’s permissive will… That I could love Him, pray to Him, and then ultimately do what I wanted. I was making up my own rules to get what I wanted.

It did not turn out well.

I cried unimaginable amounts of tears and felt the deepest sorrow that I would never wish upon anyone. When I forced MY WILL, I was handed BROKENNESS instead. I went through 4 years of destruction to come out and not have anything but empty hands and a broken heart to show for it.

Thankfully, in His good and perfect time, God brings beauty from ashes. He takes our brokenness, and from it, He builds something even more beautiful. It doesn’t look like what we envisioned, but it is better. It is His.

“You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.”

Isaiah 58:12 MSG

God then took me on a new journey, one where I asked Him to guide. I was done with forcing my wants, my will, my ways anymore. I started truly following Him.

HIS PLAN IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN MINE.

Today I reflected on Solomon, when it says in 1 Kings 11 that in his old age, Solomon’s love of women and his wives turned his heart from God. He didn’t downright turn his back on God, but he took part in actions and behaviors that were in direct contradiction of the instruction God had given him.

His actions showed his heart.

He had started seeking the approval of men (or, women in his case) over the approval of God. He stopped putting God’s commands first and instead followed the lust and desire of his own heart.

The repercussions – his kingdom was stripped from him and his descendants.

It wasn’t God’s plan or his perfect will and desire for Solomon. It was His permissive will due to Solomon’s lack of integrity.

My heart sinks to think of the ways God desires to bless me and yet I don’t receive the blessing because I am unfaithful to the call.

Our actions have consequences.

If you tend to be more GRACEFUL… You may have a tendency to live in your past mistakes and hate yourself for ways you have disobeyed God. Don’t. Know that God loves you perfectly and His grace is enough for even the worst sin you may have committed. You are clean and white as snow. Move forward!!!!

If you tend to be more of a GLADIATOR, you might easily forgive yourself unlike the GRACEFUL, but you could forget to bring the lessons you have learned into your current life season. You might make decisions haphazardly, not understanding that your words and attitude can have lifelong effects, not only for you but also for the people around you. Remember that even small choices can have significant impacts.

GRACEFUL GLADIATOR BATTLE PLAN: Even if your life feels uninspiring and average, trust that God has an incredible plan for you. You may be in a transition right now. Stay faithful to the journey He has called you to walk. Don’t get caught up looking at what He has given others or thinking you need to make things happen for yourself. The trap is thinking we need to ACT to get what we want. The safest place you can ever be is right inside of God’s PERFECT WILL.

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right – you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. Psalm 119:1-8 MSG

Hi! I’m Hannah Place and I am on a mission to empower women through God’s word: to show them the truth’s He has declared over their lives, to uncover the hope that He has promised, and to prepare their hearts for the battles they face.